Bihar to become power surplus by 2016: Minister

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Last Updated: Tue, Dec 04, 2012 18:37 hrs

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may not have to face embarrassment for being compelled to stick to his words to not seek votes in the next Assembly polls for failing to make Bihar state self-sufficient as the state will become a power surplus state by 2016, a minister said today.

"We will not disappoint our chief minister for promising to not seek votes at the hustings next time in the event of failure to provide electricity to all households as Bihar will become a self-sufficient state in power by 2015 and a power surplus state by 2016," Power minister Vijendra Prasad Yadav informed the state legislative assembly.

The state will start adding 500 MW every six years beginning 2013 after generation of power from the Barh thermal power project stage II (1320 MW), he said.

The expansion projects of Barauni and Kanti thermal power plants and the Barh Stage I thermal power plant (1980 MW) will be commissioned in the next two years that will raise more power to the kitty of Bihar, Yadav said.

Besides, the state will get additional power from the central pool that will take to power generation and availability with Bihar at about 5000 MW power by 2015 against the requirement of 4000 MW then, the power minister said.

With a number of thermal power projects and ultra power projects under various stages of consideration and execution, the state will definitely become a power surplus state by 2016, he said.

The power minister emphasised on strengthening the transmission and distribution infrastructure so that all household could be electrified in Bihar and said that the grids will be constructed in both north and south Bihar to distribute power to the consumers through power sub-stations at each block.

Stating that the central cooperation was key to development of power sector in the country, Yadav urged the centre to provide coal linkages to proposed thermal power projects for execution of the proposed thermal power projects in Bihar.